Cognitive:Students will understand what a motto is and learn examples of common mottoes. Students will understand what a mission statement is and how it directs a person’s or a group’s actions.
Affective:Students will want to adopt good mottoes and mission statements and be guided by them.
Behavioral: Students will name their personal motto. Students will sort their personal motto into one of three categories. Students will distinguish the values implicit in the mission statements of various companies. Students will describe their own mission statement.
Class Session 1
Ask students to look at the mottoes at the end of the chapter in their student books. Do they know what a motto is? Other words for mottoes are “old sayings” or “proverbs.” As you read each motto aloud to the students, ask them to volunteer to offer an explanation and an example of each motto:
Some common mottoes people use to instruct themselves in living:
Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Handsome is as handsome does.
If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.
Those who live by the sword die by the sword.
Waste not, want not.
A penny saved is a penny earned.
A friend in need is a friend indeed.
What goes around comes around.
Then ask students for any other mottoes they have ever heard, or that their parents repeat to them, or that they themselves sometimes use to instruct themselves in living. If any are unclear, ask the student to explain.
Mention that people have been living by certain codes for a long time. Even the so-called “law of the jungle” is a sort of code. Ask students how an “eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” is superior to the law of the jungle. Affirm that it is superior because at least it offers equal punishment, not harsher punishment, as the “law of the jungle” does. Then write this on the board:
“An eye for an eye only leaves the whole world blind.”
This saying is attributed to the peacemaker Mohandas (“Mahatma” or “Great Soul”) Gandhi. Ask students if they agree with this statement. This statement means that it is not good to take revenge upon people.
Ask students to recite the Golden Rule. Ask: “What is the difference between the Golden Rule and Confucius’s rule of reciprocity?” (Confucius’s rule said, “Don’t do to others what you wouldn’t want them to do to you,” whereas the Golden Rule says, “Do to others what you would have them do to you.”) In essence, the two are the same, but one may be interpreted to be more active than the other. Confucius’s saying seems to tell people to refrain from doing acts; the Golden Rule seems to tell people to do good things.
Mention that the text goes on to say that the highest motto that people have come up with so far is “Love your enemy.” This is the very essence of peacemaking. It is extremely difficult to do. Yet, as the text points out, some people in history have been able to love people who acted as enemies to them. When they did this, they gained tremendous influence, even worldwide influence. It works!
Ask students to do the Reflection Exercise: “My Motto in Life” in their student books.
Reflection Exercise: “My Motto in Life”
1. What is the guiding motto of your life?
2. Into which category does your outlook on life fit? What are your reasons?
Law of the jungle
Eye for eye
Golden rule
Love your enemy
Class Session 2
Mention to students that many corporations and organizations have a “mission statement.” A mission statement is an expanded motto. It tells what the corporation or organization stands for, wants to achieve, and believes is important. Sometimes it is very short, like a motto; other times it is a paragraph or two long. The mission statement states the purpose, goal, and vision of the corporation. Behind the few words there are values.
The famous company Wal-Mart, for instance, has as its mission statement: “To give ordinary folks the chance to buy the same things as rich people.”
Write this mission statement on the board. Ask students to point out what values are behind this mission statement. (Equality: poor people should have the same things rich people should; human worth: ordinary people count too and should have opportunities to live well and be comfortable, etc.)
Point out that this very successful company did not write as its mission statement: “To make a lot of money.” They started out wanting to serve people.
Another extremely successful company, Merck, which makes pharmaceuticals and provides pharmaceutical insurance, has as its mission statement: “To preserve and improve human life.” Once again, there is nothing in this huge corporation’s mission statement about wanting to make tons of profits. Merck values profits, but only “profit from work that benefits humanity.” Merck wants its pharmaceuticals to meet rigorous scientific standards, and it wants its company to be honest and have integrity in all its business dealings.
Ford Motor Company, the company that produced the automobile such that common people, not just the rich, could own a car, had as its mission statement in the early days: “Ford will democratize the automobile.”
Ask students what values this mission statement upholds. (democracy, equality, ownership, the importance of the common person, etc.)
Henry Ford believed that the ordinary person should be able to own a car. When Ford started out, only rich people could afford cars. He sought to find a way to make an automobile that was so cost-effective, the price could come down to the point where the common family could own a car in America. Did Ford realize his mission statement? Yes.
Here are some more mission statements from real companies and organizations:
“McDonald's vision is to be the world's best quick service restaurant experience. Being the best means providing outstanding quality, service, cleanliness, and value, so that we make every customer in every restaurant smile.
Levi-Strauss, the famous makers of blue jeans, says, “We will market the most appealing and widely worn casual clothing in the world. We will clothe the world.”
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights says, “The mission of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is to protect and promote all human rights for all.”
Now tell students they are going to write their own mission statement, in twenty-five words or less. It can be just a sentence, and it can expand upon their mottoes, but it should be more than their mottoes too.
Ask students to do the Exercise: “Me, Others, Society, and the Future” in order to begin to understand what kinds of things they might want to include in their own personal mission statement. Ask them to complete the exercise and then come up with a mission statement of their own.
Exercise: “Me, Others, Society, and the Future”
Please answer the questions or complete the statements:
Me:
“It's my life, and I can do with it whatever I like.” True or false?
What do I want others to think about me?
What three (non-material) things could I not live without?
The single most important thing in my life is…
I am the type of person who…
Others:
What is the value of a human being?
Are there any beliefs that all people have in common?
Are people responsible for their actions? If so, is this always true?
Are human beings basically good or evil?
What I value the most in others is . . .
I feel really good when other people…
Society:
What do I gain or lose from being a member of society?
Who decides what a society is like?
Does my behavior make a difference to society?
I want to live in a society that…
I believe that the main responsibility to create a good society lies in the hands of…
Future:
What do I think the world is going to be like in ten years? Will things be the same, better or worse?
Can I make a difference in the world?
What do I dream of doing with my life in the future?
If I could contribute one thing to the world, what would it be?
My ideal world is like…
Tell students they will be responsible to show you that they have done the Questions for Reflection as homework that they will turn in at the next class session. They will read Chapter 11 in the next class session and need not read it for homework.
Lesson Plan Objectives
Cognitive: Students will understand what a motto is and learn examples of common mottoes. Students will understand what a mission statement is and how it directs a person’s or a group’s actions.
Affective: Students will want to adopt good mottoes and mission statements and be guided by them.
Behavioral: Students will name their personal motto. Students will sort their personal motto into one of three categories. Students will distinguish the values implicit in the mission statements of various companies. Students will describe their own mission statement.
Class Session 1
Ask students to look at the mottoes at the end of the chapter in their student books. Do they know what a motto is? Other words for mottoes are “old sayings” or “proverbs.” As you read each motto aloud to the students, ask them to volunteer to offer an explanation and an example of each motto:
Some common mottoes people use to instruct themselves in living:
Then ask students for any other mottoes they have ever heard, or that their parents repeat to them, or that they themselves sometimes use to instruct themselves in living. If any are unclear, ask the student to explain.
Mention that people have been living by certain codes for a long time. Even the so-called “law of the jungle” is a sort of code. Ask students how an “eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” is superior to the law of the jungle. Affirm that it is superior because at least it offers equal punishment, not harsher punishment, as the “law of the jungle” does. Then write this on the board:
“An eye for an eye only leaves the whole world blind.”
This saying is attributed to the peacemaker Mohandas (“Mahatma” or “Great Soul”) Gandhi. Ask students if they agree with this statement. This statement means that it is not good to take revenge upon people.
Ask students to recite the Golden Rule. Ask: “What is the difference between the Golden Rule and Confucius’s rule of reciprocity?” (Confucius’s rule said, “Don’t do to others what you wouldn’t want them to do to you,” whereas the Golden Rule says, “Do to others what you would have them do to you.”) In essence, the two are the same, but one may be interpreted to be more active than the other. Confucius’s saying seems to tell people to refrain from doing acts; the Golden Rule seems to tell people to do good things.
Mention that the text goes on to say that the highest motto that people have come up with so far is “Love your enemy.” This is the very essence of peacemaking. It is extremely difficult to do. Yet, as the text points out, some people in history have been able to love people who acted as enemies to them. When they did this, they gained tremendous influence, even worldwide influence. It works!
Ask students to do the Reflection Exercise: “My Motto in Life” in their student books.
Reflection Exercise: “My Motto in Life”
1. What is the guiding motto of your life?
2. Into which category does your outlook on life fit? What are your reasons?
Class Session 2
Mention to students that many corporations and organizations have a “mission statement.” A mission statement is an expanded motto. It tells what the corporation or organization stands for, wants to achieve, and believes is important. Sometimes it is very short, like a motto; other times it is a paragraph or two long. The mission statement states the purpose, goal, and vision of the corporation. Behind the few words there are values.
The famous company Wal-Mart, for instance, has as its mission statement: “To give ordinary folks the chance to buy the same things as rich people.”
Write this mission statement on the board. Ask students to point out what values are behind this mission statement. (Equality: poor people should have the same things rich people should; human worth: ordinary people count too and should have opportunities to live well and be comfortable, etc.)
Point out that this very successful company did not write as its mission statement: “To make a lot of money.” They started out wanting to serve people.
Another extremely successful company, Merck, which makes pharmaceuticals and provides pharmaceutical insurance, has as its mission statement: “To preserve and improve human life.” Once again, there is nothing in this huge corporation’s mission statement about wanting to make tons of profits. Merck values profits, but only “profit from work that benefits humanity.” Merck wants its pharmaceuticals to meet rigorous scientific standards, and it wants its company to be honest and have integrity in all its business dealings.
Ford Motor Company, the company that produced the automobile such that common people, not just the rich, could own a car, had as its mission statement in the early days: “Ford will democratize the automobile.”
Ask students what values this mission statement upholds. (democracy, equality, ownership, the importance of the common person, etc.)
Henry Ford believed that the ordinary person should be able to own a car. When Ford started out, only rich people could afford cars. He sought to find a way to make an automobile that was so cost-effective, the price could come down to the point where the common family could own a car in America. Did Ford realize his mission statement? Yes.
Here are some more mission statements from real companies and organizations:
- “McDonald's vision is to be the world's best quick service restaurant experience. Being the best means providing outstanding quality, service, cleanliness, and value, so that we make every customer in every restaurant smile.
- Levi-Strauss, the famous makers of blue jeans, says, “We will market the most appealing and widely worn casual clothing in the world. We will clothe the world.”
- The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights says, “The mission of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is to protect and promote all human rights for all.”
Now tell students they are going to write their own mission statement, in twenty-five words or less. It can be just a sentence, and it can expand upon their mottoes, but it should be more than their mottoes too.Ask students to do the Exercise: “Me, Others, Society, and the Future” in order to begin to understand what kinds of things they might want to include in their own personal mission statement. Ask them to complete the exercise and then come up with a mission statement of their own.
Exercise: “Me, Others, Society, and the Future”
Please answer the questions or complete the statements:
Me:
“It's my life, and I can do with it whatever I like.” True or false?
What do I want others to think about me?
What three (non-material) things could I not live without?
The single most important thing in my life is…
I am the type of person who…
Others:
What is the value of a human being?
Are there any beliefs that all people have in common?
Are people responsible for their actions? If so, is this always true?
Are human beings basically good or evil?
What I value the most in others is . . .
I feel really good when other people…
Society:
What do I gain or lose from being a member of society?
Who decides what a society is like?
Does my behavior make a difference to society?
I want to live in a society that…
I believe that the main responsibility to create a good society lies in the hands of…
Future:
What do I think the world is going to be like in ten years? Will things be the same, better or worse?
Can I make a difference in the world?
What do I dream of doing with my life in the future?
If I could contribute one thing to the world, what would it be?
My ideal world is like…
Tell students they will be responsible to show you that they have done the Questions for Reflection as homework that they will turn in at the next class session. They will read Chapter 11 in the next class session and need not read it for homework.